


Now I See

by blackm00n5



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Downworlder Dad Magnus Bane, Gen, M/M, Magnus Bane loves his vampire child, Mostly a meta on raph through Alec's eyes, Raphael Santiago deserves everything, Step Dad Alec, adopted family, platonic cuddles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 16:49:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9771173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackm00n5/pseuds/blackm00n5
Summary: For the first time, Alec is looking at Raphael Santiago - the local Vampire Clan leader, a cold and distant person with no care for anyone - and he sees what Magnus sees.[[Or, a short meta on Raphael through Alec's eyes.]]





	

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS YOUR FAULT VIKKI ALL YOUR FAULT. 
> 
> But yes I am emotional about platonic relationships and I cannot fucking get over how much I love Magnus Bane and Raphael Santiago because Magnus will destroy everything for his vamp son. This is for Vikki, or Alxanderlightwood on tumblr. You're lovely, babe<33

Alec had always known that when Magnus looked at Raphael Santiago, he was not seeing the same person that the world saw. That Raphael wanted the world to see.

Magnus had explained to him early on what Raphael meant to him, had told him the story. So Alec knew that most people looked at Raphael and they saw a clan leader. A man, one who had lived a lifetime or more and was deadlier because of it. Someone closed off and cold, distant and uncaring. Who wanted no one near him and who no one wanted to be near. A dangerous man, someone with harsh edges and rough sides, with sharp words and sharper fangs. The world saw a vampire, a monster, who couldn’t care about anyone or anything.

Alec knew because that’s what he saw, too.

But Magnus looked at Raphael, and he still saw that frightened young boy, barely even sixteen and cowering in the shadows. He still saw that child who didn’t understand what was happening or what he had become. Who cried when he couldn’t say God’s name and cried harder when his cross burnt him to touch. Who hated what he was and thought the world was better off without him. Who was so scared of telling his mother what her oldest son had turned into. That dirty, bloody little boy who had begged Magnus not to come closer in fear of hurting him.

Magnus looked at Raphael and he saw that child who had clung to him, who had hidden behind him while he learned that he couldn’t trust anyone in his new world. The child who needed his guidance, who Magnus had taught to guard himself and had taught to give only this much away in order to keep himself safe. A vulnerable, innocent young boy who would be taken advantage of far too often and needed a warm hand to show him the way.  A boy who would wake himself with his screams every day from the night terrors, who would eventually learn not to sleep at all to avoid feeling that vulnerable, again.

Magnus looked at Raphael and he still saw the little boy he had saved years ago. And Alec knew the story, had learned the whole thing. He knew exactly what Magnus was seeing in that cold, detached face. But even in knowing it, Alec never saw it.

When Alec walked into Magnus’ loft to find Raphael asleep, curled up with his head in Magnus’ lap, Alec saw what Magnus saw for the first time.

Alec stopped in the entryway, struck by the harsh realization that he was looking at a child. Not even sixteen, who was curling into Magnus because he trusted him. Who was clinging to the only person he felt he could trust, the only person who had never hurt him. He could see little twitches on Raphael’s face, and that cold mask his face was usually sculpted into was gone to show an actual person, to show Raphael battling his nightmares, his face scrunching in fear until Magnus’ hand gently pet through his hair to soothe him.

Raphael curled into Magnus, burying his face in Magnus’ thigh and relaxing down until the nightmare subsided. Magnus let his fingers linger in his hair, petting through the strands gently as he continued reading. Alec stood there gaping for a long moment before Magnus glanced up at him and offered a gentle smile. The tension bled out of Alec’s shoulders and he felt his own smile touch his lips.

Because Alec had always known that Magnus would burn the world to protect Raphael.

And finally, he was starting to see why.


End file.
